Figure 4 shows an example engineering workflow where Controls Engineers A and B jointly create a control application consisting of Controller A and Controller B while separated in time and space and potentially without the physical devices. Using Controller A’s engineering tool, Engineer A creates the User Program for Controller A and describes the inputs and outputs to be shared. Engineer A then exports an updated, signed Descriptor with the shared information. Engineer B then imports this Descriptor using Controller B’s engineering tool and adds the information needed for Controller A and B Connections. Engineer B may import additional Descriptors describing components used with their Controller or other Controllers to be connected. Engineer B then adds the Connection configuration needed to exchange the data required for the application.

NoteThis workflow describes the actions necessary for Controller B to obtain the data needed for its program during design time. If Controller A needs data from Controller B, it would need to import a Descriptor from Controller B to understand its interface.

Figure 4 – Engineering workflow – design and commissioning

Engineer A and Engineer B deploy their applications to their respective Controllers and deliver them to the site. Initial network address assignment is a precondition for the following steps.